Mavs teach Thunder a lesson - Someday the Thunder may be able to look back at what happened Monday and learn a valuable lesson. But it's not going to help them in this series. The celebration had already begun inside Oklahoma City Arena and in the surrounding Bricktown bars. The Thunder had hit the Mavs in the mouth early with an 18-8 start and it held a 99-84 lead after a Kevin Durant 3-pointer with 5:06 left. It looked like for all the world the series would be tied, 2-2, heading back to Dallas. But the Mavs know all too well that a large lead can vanish. They found that out in Game 4 in the first round against the Portland Trail Blazers. READ MORE

Hundreds of fans greet Mavericks as they return to Dallas early Tuesday morning - A crowd of at least 200 fans greeted the Mavericks' charter flight when it landed early Tuesday morning at Love Field. The boisterous crowd, many with hand-held camcorders, lined the exit from the private terminal that the Mavericks arrived at. READ MORE

Jason Kidd has no fear, nor do Mavs - After 17 years in the NBA, Jason Kidd feels no fear with his team down 15 with 5:05 to play. One man’s journey to the refrigerator is another man’s eternity. On Monday night, Kidd and the Dallas Mavericks stopped time inside Oklahoma City Arena for the 18,203 disbelievers wearing Thunder blue shirts. It seemed that Kevin Durant had iced the game with a 3-pointer for a 99-84 lead with 5:05 to go. Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle called timeout and the roar inside the arena shook nearby Bricktown. READ MORE

On the NBA: Mixed Feelings - I’ve lived in Houston since 1985, the year I was born. I’ve followed the Houston Rockets since 1994. To those landing here residing somewhere not in Texas, allow me to explain something: there is no Lone Star State solidarity. Dallas and Houston do not like each other. We do not like anything about each other’s cities; there is no love loss. Up until today, I would have preferred that a team led by Scottie Pippen advanced to the Finals rather than seeing the Mavs victorious. I’m having second thoughts. READ MORE

Alston back to coach in Houston - Rafer Alston thinks back to when he was a small person doing a big thing, and it seems like such a long time ago. He is 34 now. Old enough to reflect a little. So when people recognize him in his native New York-- "I'm not Rafer to them," he says. "I'm Skip." – it strikes him a little more deeply than it once did. READ MORE

Manu’s injury not just a sprain - It appears Manu Ginobili was playing with more than just a sprained right elbow during the Spurs’ first-round playoff ouster against Memphis last month. Ginobili told an Argentine website, noticiasMDQ.com, that he suffered a small fracture in his right arm in the April 13 regular-season finale at Phoenix on the collision with Suns forward Grant Hill that resulted in the elbow injury. “Last Wednesday, doctors in San Antonio conducted MRI tests,” Ginobili told the Argentine site, as translated by the Express-News. “The liquid (which caused swelling in the arm) has been reabsorbed, and the small fracture in the humerus is about 85 percent healed.” READ MORE

PTI weighs in on Tony Parker’s comments - Tony Parker pronouncement that he thought the Spurs could no longer challenge for a championship with their current roster was big news across the NBA. Parker’s comments last week to a group of French reporters in Paris even got discussion on ESPN’s “Pardon the Interruption” with Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser. Here’s a link to the segment at Sports by Brooks.com, as well as a transcript of what Wilbon and Kornheiser had to say. READ MORE

The Elusive Rangers Series Win - There was a moment there just after the Rangers exited their golden bases-loaded, no-out opportunity in the bottom of the eighth inning with just a single run, but before Neftali Feliz successfully walked the ninth-inning tightrope, that a strange emotion washed over me -- deflation. It's not an emotion you're supposed to encounter after your team has just retaken the late-game lead with its bullpen ace only requiring three outs to seal the series win, but there it was, and though the narrative turned out to be one of the happily-ever-after sort, there's still something about it all that bothers me. READ MORE

Hamilton, Cruz homer in returns from DL - Talk about many happy returns. In an almost-too-good-to-be-true scenario, Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz went from sluggers to saviors on Monday, returning from the disabled list to pump some much-needed life into the Texas Rangers offense. Hamilton and Cruz both homered — the former in his first at-bat — and had a hand in every Rangers run in a 4-0 victory over the White Sox. READ MORE

Bourn, Pence spark ninth-inning rally to lift Astros to victory over Dodgers - Although the Houston Astros trailed by two runs entering the bottom of the ninth inning, manager Brad Mills watched his team demonstrate a high level of resiliency and put together a string of quality at-bats, especially from Angel Sanchez, Michael Bourn and Hunter Pence, against the Los Angeles Dodgers Monday night en route to a 4-3 comeback victory. READ MORE

Astros walk off after three-run rally in ninth - Little by little, the Astros chipped away in the ninth inning against Dodgers relief pitcher Kenley Jansen, until he eventually crumbled under the relentless string of terrific at-bats they pieced together Monday night. There was second baseman Bill Hall, capping the best game of his season with his fourth hit, and Angel Sanchez, coming off the bench and battling Jansen for 11 pitches before coming through with a walk. And that only set the stage for one of the Astros' most dramatic wins of the year. READ MORE

Andre to Texans: Don't let Vonta go - Wide receiver says big-blocking free-agent fullback crucial to team's. Like his teammates, receiver Andre Johnson has been working out during the NFL lockout, but he also has used his time off to recruit for the Texans. Johnson, who hosted his annual football camp for 400 kids over the weekend, says it is vital that fullback Vonta Leach return to the team. "I can't imagine our offense without him," Johnson said. "I don't know who we'll replace him with. He's the best at what he does." Johnson, who has recovered from postseason surgery on his ankle, also has encouraged cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha to sign with the Texans when the lockout ends and he becomes an unrestricted free agent. READ MORE

Where was this type of a defensive hire 2009? - I realize this was on the lips and tongues of many’o Texans fans in 2009, but I think it’s worth reliving (briefly, don’t worry. It won’t hurt… much). After the complete and total failure that was the Richard Smith defense, how did what amounted to a Smith disciple get the job to follow him? Oh, right, because Frank Bush is the guy Gary Kubiak wanted when he took over the Texans in 2006. Well, that’s just about the worst reasoning I can think of. READ MORE

Cowboys QB Tony Romo appreciates Staubach's support: 'Roger is a class act' - Roger Staubach and Tony Romo will forever share a special bond. They are among an elite fraternity of athletes who have played quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys and know what it's like to be thrust under an incredibly bright spotlight. Perhaps that is why last week Staubach felt compelled to defend Romo's record against his legion of critics. "He hasn't been the problem," said Staubach, the Hall of Fame inductee who led the Cowboys to victories in Super Bowls VI and XII. "He's done unbelievable. He's right at the top of the NFL as far as a quarterback -- as far as his statistics and the things he does. He moves around the pocket. He makes great plays." READ MORE

Big week for Tony Romo starts with title - This is a big week for Tony Romo. The Cowboys will begin their fourth week of player-run practices on Tuesday and on Saturday he will marry Candice Crawford in Dallas. First the football: “Last week we had 45 guys there. It’s nice to know the guys are willing to continue to work hard as the offseason goes on.” READ MORE

Prospect update: Patrik Nemeth - The latest in a series on top prospects of the Dallas Stars focuses on Swedish defenseman Patrik Nemeth, a 2nd round pick (41st overall) in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Nemeth played his first season in the Swedish Elite League in 2010-11, registering 7 points (1 goal, 6 assists) and even rating in 38 games for AIK. He averaged 17:42 of ice per game, which ranked fourth on the team. He had no points and a plus-1 rating in seven playoff games. The 19-year-old also played for Sweden at the World Junior Championship in Buffalo, picking up 1 assist and a plus-1 rating in 6 games. READ MORE

Dallas Stars 2010-11 Season Grades: Brian Sutherby - Brian Sutherby-#20 / Left Wing / Dallas Stars. Key Stat: 51 - Number of games played by Sutherby this season, the most ever played in a Dallas Stars uniform. The Good: Sutherby is not afraid to drop the gloves. He did so 8 times this season, good for the third most on the team behind Barch and Ott. Much like Barchy, Sutherby tends to lose his fights more often than not -- but he had one memorable smack down of PK Subban in December which he won handily. He's also shown glimpses of a scoring touch, posting 30 points in 2005-2006 with the Capitals. READ MORE